Anzac Day in France
Sunday 28 April 2013
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Anzac Day is commemorated by New Zealanders in France each year on the Sunday closest to 25 April. This year, Anzac ceremonies will be held on Sunday 28 April at Le Quesnoy (a town liberated by New Zealand soldiers near the end of World War I) and Longueval (site of the New Zealand Memorial in the Somme). All are very welcome to attend these ceremonies.
The ceremony at Le Quesnoy will start at 11am – assemble by the Eugène Thomas Memorial, Place du Général Leclerc by 10.45am.
To get to Le Quesnoy from Paris: take the autoroute A1 north, following the signs for Valenciennes/Bruxelles. As you approach Valenciennes, take the motorway exit marked "Maubeuge/Le Quesnoy". Follow the signs on the N4 then the D934 to Le Quesnoy. Estimated travelling time from Paris: 2 hours 30 minutes. Trains from Paris (Gare du Nord) to Le Quesnoy can be booked in advance at the SNCF.
The Longueval ceremony will start at 4pm, at the New Zealand Memorial (signposted from the village).
To get to Longueval from Paris: take the autoroute A1 north, following
the signs for Valenciennes/Bruxelles. Exit at Cambrai and take the N30
to Bapaume. At Bapaume, turn left into the N17 for approximately 300m,
then right at the sign for Longueval. Follow the road D197 for about
15km. Estimated travelling time from Paris: 1 hour 45 minutes.
For further information, please contact the Embassy (embassy.nz.fr@gmail.com).